Revenue stamp and the like



Sept. 2l, i937. 1 B LAWRENCE 2,093,841 REVENU Filed .May 11, 195e f Ziyi @ver jg/Sgja@ Patented Sept. 21', 1937 UNITED STATES;

PATENT OFFICE Jay B. Lawrence, Glen Ellyn, Ill., assignor to American Decalcomania Company, a corporation of Illinois Application May 1l., 1936, Serial No. l19,168

9 Claims.

This invention` relates to a revenue stamp and the like.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a revenue stamp which cannot be removed from packages, etc., and which. is designed to make counterfeiting practicallyimpossible. Other speciiic objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds. r

The invention is illustrated in preferred embodiments by the accompanying drawing, `in which- Figure 1 is a side view in elevation of the revenue stamp in the form of a decalcomania transfer which is carried by a paper strip; Fig. 2, a similar view of a modified form of the invention;A and Fig. 3, a plan view of the stamp shown in Fig. 2. Heretofcre revenue stamps have been of two main classes. One class consists of lithographed paper stamps. The other class consists of engraved paper stamps. Such' stamps have the disadvantage that they can be easily removed from packages, etc. The lithographed stamp can' be easily photographed and then reproduced by well-known methods. An engraved stamp cannot be readily reproduced because the fine lines of the engraving cannot be accurately reproduced by photography. Also, they cannot be accurately reproduced by handwerk. The convolutional lines ordinarily produced by the high. 30 grade engraving machines make it practically impossible for counterfeiters to reproduce such lines. In eiorts to reproduce such lines, it is found that the lines lose their sharpness and tend to blur together in the reproduced work.

35 An engraved decalcomariia transfer would obviously be highly desirable both for the purpose of preventing removal and for the purpose of preventing reproduction. The dilculty lies in attempting to employ engraving plates on fragile bodies such as decalcomania transfer bodies. The ink layers forming the transfer body are hard and do not readily venter the interstices of the plate and it is diilicult for the ink transfer body to pick up the ink within the plate depressions.

I have discovered that decalcomania transfers can be' successfully engraved by providing on the top of the ink body a layer of varnish, or other suitable plastic material, which will yield suiiicientlv under the pressure exerted by the steel plate to flow into the interstices of the plate and accurately record the plate image. Any suitable Varnish may be employed for this purpose. Also, if desired, a lacquer body' may be employed. The

ink body of the transfer provides a relatively hard foundation upon which the varnish layer, or other plastic layer, is carried.-

In the construction illustrated in rig. 1, there is a paper layer upon which is placed the usual adhesive. The paper may be any suitable decal- 5 comania paper such as is ordinarily used. Upon the adhesive are deposited successive prints of ink forming the transfer body. A layer of varnish, or other suitable material for recording the engraving, is placed upon the-transfer body. The engraving print is then formed on top of the varnish layer.

In order to form an accurate reproduction of the engraving plate, I mix with the inkfwhich is applied to the engraving plate a small amount of solvent for the varnish, or other plastic material, used on top of the transfer body. Forexample, turpentine or benzine may be used. I prefer to use as a solvent for the varnish a mixture of turpentine and benzine in the proportion of 60% turpentine and 40% benzine.

If a lacquer is used, such as for example a nitrocellulose lacquer, a solvent such as ethyl or amyl acetate may be used.

'Ihe solvent in the ink softens the top portion of the varnish, or other plastic body, and causes it to iiow more readily intothe ne apertures of l the plate to make an accurate reproduction of all the lines and depressions of the plate.

A decalcomania stamp, as above described, is extremely expensive. particularly when so many different types of revenue stamps are used, it being necessary to provide a new plate for each stamp. I have found that engraved stamps can be produced at Vrelatively small expense by following the procedure outlined .below and illustrated in Figs. 2.and3. a

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a lithograph print is formed on the central portion of the transfer body before the varnish layer is applied, the varnish being substantially transparent. In the illustration given, the print is formed by making up successive prints of ink thereon, although it will be understood that the body may be formed in any desired known manner. An engraving print is then formed-on the area outside of the lithograph print and' upon the varnish layer. The 'engraving is so aligned with the lithograph print as to form therewith a composite face for 50 the stamp.

With the above form of stamp, a large variety of changes can-be made in the lithographprint so as to form diierenttypes of revenue stamps.

'I'he engraving, however, remains the same but 55 serves the purpose in each case of preventing a reproduction of the stamp.

As illustrated more clearly in Fig.- 2, and as indicated by the numeral I0, the pressure ex- 5 erted upon the engraving plate causes the bottom portion of the decalcomania transfer to be irregular in shape, having formed therein a large number of depressions, etc. The irregularities illustratedin Fig. 2, are, of course, exaggerated for the purpose of illustrations I have found that the depressions formed in the bottom of the transfer body by the engraving operation tend to cause the decalcomania body to cling more tightly to surfaces and particularly to surfaces such as cellophane, gelatin sheets, etc. Apparently the depressions form suction areas which tend to unite the transfer body more firmly to such surfaces. The engraving has been illustrated in Fig. 3 by straight lines merely for the purpose of illustration. It will be understood that, in practice, such lines are usually convolutional or curvilinear in shape.

The new revenue stamp, as described in the foregoing paragraphs, cannot be removed from packages to which it is applied without destroying the stamp.4 At the same time, the engraved face cannot be reproduced. Varnish, or any other plastic body, on the top of the hard ink body,r flows readily into the depressions of the plate and picks up the ink thereon thus forming a perfect reproductionofthe plate. By employing the engraving step in combination with a lithographing step, as described. the stamp can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

By the Words engraving plate,'as used herein, we mean engraved plates of the intaglio type, such plates being ordinarily formed of copper or steel, and such as are ordinarily used in the printing of bank notes.

4o While in the foregoing description I have set forth certain constructions as illustrative of the invention, it win be understood mit many changes may be made vwithout departing from the spirit of my invention. The foregoing 4.5 detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A revenue stamp comprising a decalcomania ink transfer body and a plastic material carried thereon, said plastic material'recording the lines of an engraving platepermanently. I 2. A revenue stamp comprising an engraved decalcomania transfer, said transfer having an ink body covered with a plastic material recording lthe lines of an engraving plate.

3. The structure set out in claim 2 in which the plastic material is varnish.

4. The structure set out in claim 2 in which the plastic material is`lacquer.

5. A revenue stamp comprising an engraved decalcomania transfer, said transfer having an ink body covered by a plastic material recording the lines of an engraving plate, the lower portion of said body being provided with depressions by which said body can be attached more rmly to a smooth surface.

6. A4 revenue stamp decalcomania product comprising a decalcomania paper base, adhesive on said base, and an engraved decalcomania transfer on said adhesive, said transfer comprising an ink body covered by a layer of plastic material recording the lines of an engraving plate.

lithograph print, said plastic material recording the lines of an engraving plate.

9. A decalcomania product comprising a paper base, adhesive on said base, a transfer body on said adhesive, a lithograph print partially covering said body and a layer of transparent plastic material over said print and having a portion thereof'V recording the lines of an engraving plate, said engraved portion and said lithograph print cooperating to forma composite design.

l JAY B. LAWRENCE. 

